Large scale preparation of midkine antisense oligonucleotides nanoliposomes by a cross-flow injection technique combined with ultrafiltration and high-pressure extrusion procedures

Chitosan based sorafenib tosylate loaded magnetic nanoparticles: Formulation and in-vitro characterization

Biocompatible magnetic nanoparticles are used for various biomedical applications. This study reported the development of nanoparticles with magnetic properties by embedding magnetite particles in the drug-loaded, crosslinked matrix of chitosan. Sorafenib tosylate-loaded magnetic nanoparticles were prepared by a modified ionic-gelation method. Particle size, zeta potential, polydispersity index, and entrapment efficiency of nanoparticles were in the range of 95.6 ± 3.4 nm to 440.9 ± 7.3 nm, 12.8 ± 0.8 mV to 27.3 ± 1.1 mV, 0.289 ± 0.011 to 0.571 ± 0.011, and 54.36 ± 1.26 % to 79.67 ± 1.40 %, respectively. The XRD spectrum of formulation CMP-5 confirmed the amorphous nature of the loaded drug in nanoparticles. TEM image confirmed the spherical shape of nanoparticles. Atomic force microscopic image of formulation CMP-5 indicated a mean surface roughness of 10.3597 nm. The magnetization saturation of formulation CMP-5 was 24.74 emu/g. Electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy revealed that formulation CMP-5's g-Lande's factor was 4.27, which was extremely near to the 4.30 (usual for Fe³⁺ ions). Residual paramagnetic Fe³⁺ ions may be responsible for paramagnetic origin. The data suggests superparamagnetic nature of particles. Formulations released 28.66 ± 1.22 % to 53.24 ± 1.95 % and 70.13 ± 1.72 % to 92.48 ± 1.32 % of the loaded drug after 24 h in pH 6.8 and pH 1.2, respectively. The IC₅₀ value of formulation CMP-5 was 54.75 μg/mL in HepG2 (human hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines).

Versatility of Liposomes for Antisense Oligonucleotide Delivery: A Special Focus on Various Therapeutic Areas

Nucleic acid therapeutics, specifically antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs), can effectively modulate gene expression and protein function, leading to long-lasting curative effects. The hydrophilic nature and large size of oligonucleotides present translational challenges, which have led to the exploration of various chemical modifications and delivery systems. The present review provides insights into the potential role of liposomes as a drug delivery system for ASOs. The potential benefits of liposomes as an ASO carrier, along with their method of preparation, characterization, routes of administration, and stability aspects, have been thoroughly discussed. A novel perspective in terms of therapeutic applications of liposomal ASO delivery in several diseases such as cancer, respiratory disease, ophthalmic delivery, infectious diseases, gastrointestinal disease, neuronal disorders, hematological malignancies, myotonic dystrophy, and neuronal disorders remains the major highlights of this review.

Pharmacokinetics and Disposition of Heparin-Binding Growth Factor Midkine Antisense Oligonucleotide Nanoliposomes in Experimental Animal Species and Prediction of Human Pharmacokinetics Using a Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic Model

Encapsulating the antisense oligonucleotide drug MK-ASODN with nanoliposomes greatly improved its potency and targeting to the heparin-binding growth factor midkine. The disposition and pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters of MK-ASODN nanoliposomes were studied in monkeys and rats, and the human PK parameters were predicted based on preclinical data using a physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model. Following intravenous injection, the drug plasma concentration rapidly declined in a multiexponential manner, and the drug was rapidly transferred to tissues from the circulation. The terminal t_1/2 in plasma was clearly longer than that of the unmodified antisense nucleic acid drug. According to the AUC,MK-ASODN nanoliposomes were mainly distributed in the kidney, spleen, and liver. . MK-ASODN nanoliposomes were highly plasma protein bound, limiting their urinary excretion. Very little MK-ASODN nanoliposomes were detected in urine or feces. The plasma disposition of MK-ASODN nanoliposomes appeared nonlinear over the studied dose range of 11.5–46 mg kg⁻¹. The monkey PBPK model of MK-ASODN nanoliposomes was well established and successfully extrapolated to predict MK-ASODN nanoliposome PK in humans. These disposition and PK data support further development in phase I clinical studies.

Shedding more light on the role of Midkine in hepatocellular carcinoma: New perspectives on diagnosis and therapy

One of the most common malignant tumors is hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Progression of HCC mainly results from highly complex molecular and pathological pathways. Midkine (MDK) is a growth factor that impacts viability, migration, and other cell activities. Since MDK has been involved in the inflammatory responses, it has been claimed that MDK has a crucial role in HCC. MDK acts as an anti-apoptotic factor, which mediates tumor cell viability. In addition, MDK blocks anoikis to promote metastasis. There is also evidence that MDK is involved in angiogenesis. It has been shown that the application of anti-MDK approaches might be promising in the treatment of HCC. Besides, due to the elevated expression in HCC, MDK has been proposed as a biomarker in the prognosis and diagnosis of HCC. In this review, we will discuss the role of MDK in HCC. It is hoped that the development of new strategies concerning MDK-based therapies will be promising in HCC management.

Toxicologic evaluation of repetitive 4-week intravenous injections of midkine antisense oligonucleotide nanoliposomes in rats

Midkine antisense oligonucleotide (MK-ASODN) nanoliposomes have previously been shown to have inhibitory activity against hepatocellular carcinoma growth. Herein we report the 4-week sub-chronic toxicity of MK-ASODN nanoliposomes in SD rats. The adverse effects included loss of body weight gain and food consumption, peri-rhinal bleeding, piloerection, peri-anal filth, and kidney, liver, spleen, thymus, lung, and injection site lesions at high doses. Macroscopic changes were observed in the kidneys of the high-dose group, accompanied by a variation in urine protein and white blood cells, blood urea nitrogen, and serum creatinine. The increased spleen and liver coefficient, and the variation in circulating white blood cells, lymphocytes, and eosinophils in the high-dose group demonstrated that inflammation was caused by MK-ASODN nanoliposomes and was consistent with the macroscopic changes in the spleen and liver. The main necropsy findings of the animals that died were macroscopic changes in the lung. No severe toxic effects or mortalities occurred in the low- and medium-dose groups. However, a No Adverse Effect Level (NOAEL) was not identified since there were changes in organs deemed to be adverse at all dose levels. Thus, the maximum tolerated dose of MK-ASODN nanoliposomes for rats was considered to be 6 mg/kg/day.

Large-scale preparation of clove essential oil and eugenol-loaded liposomes using a membrane contactor and a pilot plant

Based on our previous study where optimal conditions were defined to encapsulate clove essential oil (CEO) into liposomes at laboratory scale, we scaled-up the preparation of CEO and eugenol (Eug)-loaded liposomes using a membrane contactor (600 mL) and a pilot plant (3 L) based on the principle of ethanol injection method, both equipped with a Shirasu Porous Glass membrane for injection of the organic phase into the aqueous phase. Homogenous, stable, nanometric-sized and multilamellar liposomes with high phospholipid, Eug loading rates and encapsulation efficiency of CEO components were obtained. Saturation of phospholipids and drug concentration in the organic phase may control the liposome stability. Liposomes loaded with other hydrophobic volatile compounds could be prepared at large scale using the ethanol injection method and a membrane for injection.

Overview of the role of nanotechnological innovations in the detection and treatment of solid tumors

Nanotechnology, although still in its infantile stages, has the potential to revolutionize the diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring of disease progression and success of therapy for numerous diseases and conditions, not least of which is cancer. As it is a leading cause of mortality worldwide, early cancer detection, as well as safe and efficacious therapeutic intervention, will be indispensable in improving the prognosis related to cancers and overall survival rate, as well as health-related quality of life of patients diagnosed with cancer. The development of a relatively new field of nanomedicine, which combines various domains and technologies including nanotechnology, medicine, biology, pharmacology, mathematics, physics, and chemistry, has yielded different approaches to addressing these challenges. Of particular relevance in cancer, nanosystems have shown appreciable success in the realm of diagnosis and treatment. Characteristics attributable to these systems on account of the nanoscale size range allow for individualization of therapy, passive targeting, the attachment of targeting moieties for more specific targeting, minimally invasive procedures, and real-time imaging and monitoring of in vivo processes. Furthermore, incorporation into nanosystems may have the potential to reintroduce into clinical practice drugs that are no longer used because of various shortfalls, as well as aid in the registration of new, potent drugs with suboptimal pharmacokinetic profiles. Research into the development of nanosystems for cancer diagnosis and therapy is thus a rapidly emerging and viable field of study.